Pistons put away Hornets in Overtime Thriller

Despite the Hornets never having a lead bigger than ten, it felt like the Hornets were in control of this game throughout, but at the end of the day all the box score will say is that Detroit was victorious as they beat the Hornets 111-108 in overtime.

As the Detroit announcers claimed, the Pistons had “too many heroes to count” as Tayshaun Prince, Ben Gordon, and Will Bynum all played like All-Stars against the #1 defense in the league. The Pistons came into the game short-handed, as they were missing their two top scorers Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton, along with a key rotation piece in Austin Daye. To make matters worse (or perhaps better), the Pistons lost T-Mac early in the third quarter and that opened the door for Will Bynum to burst through.

The Pistons shot 63% in the second half and were led by Ben Gordon’s 24 2nd half/OT points, including a three-pointer that tied the game with 15 seconds left and eventually sent the game to overtime. Once they got to overtime, Ben Gordon scored the first five points of the extra period. Tayshaun Prince was huge as well, scoring 28 points on 12-16 shooting, grabbing 12 rebounds, and coming up with 3 blocks. One of those blocks came at the end of regulation as Chris Paul got past Will Bynum and released a floater that could have been the game winner if not for Prince’s heroics.

And despite their magnificent play, the Pistons still trailed by one with 15 seconds left in overtime. After a chaotic sequence that saw the ball knocked back past half court, Will Bynum ended up with the rock, took it to the whole and got a bucket plus a foul with just over 7 seconds left. After missing his free throw, the Hornets called time out and for some reason drew up a play that involved David West getting the ball 30 feet from the basket, isolated against Jason Maxiell. How did the play work? Well, we will never know because the Hornets couldn’t even execute the inbounds play. Maxiell stole the ball and basically sealed the Hornets fate with a thunderous dunk.

To say it was a two-man show would be a nice way of saying that nobody else showed up for the Hornets on the offensive end tonight. Paul finished the game with 23 points and 10 assists while David West finished with a game high 32 points on 21 shots. For the Hornets, Okafor and Willie Green were the only other two to finish in double digits with 13 and 11, respectively.

In the final 12:40 seconds of the 4th quarter and overtime, it was all Chris Paul and David West. If you take away Willie Green’s free throws and his overtime layup, David West and Chris Paul accounted for every point and every shot taken in that span, save for two- an open jumper missed by Jason Smith and a contested Belinelli jumper that was off as well.

The offense was predictable and stagnant. Detroit knew they only had to defend two guys and adjusted appropriately. Compare that to Detroit’s offense, which had at least four guys on every possession that the Hornets had to account for. They had movement, quality passing, and guys who aggressively penetrated; we had David West backing down two defenders while everyone else stood around. Not hard to see why the Hornets lost.

After the first Thunder game we all wondered whether Monty would recognize that David West is not this team’s closer. Tonight we got our answer.

Other Notes and Observations:

– I will admit that I do not watch every NBA game for every team and I might be over-exaggerating, but I would bet a decent amount of money that we lead the league in defensive three seconds and Emeka is the league leader in offensive fouls that come off of setting screens. These aren’t things that have anything to do with skill, these are simple fundamentals. No excuse for either.

– This is the first time I will seriously question Monty’s rotations. It is something that fans love to do, but they have the benefit of hindsight, so I think it is usually unfair. Tonight, however, you did not need hindsight to see that Ariza was basically worthless out there and the Hornets needed a spark, not to mention spacing for D West once he started getting double teamed. Also, why not start Mbenga over J Smitty in overtime to make sure you get that opening tip and crucial first possession?

– Hornets are now 1-4 in Sunday games with their only win coming in that 75-71 stinker at Sacramento.

I am soooo sick of this team and fans eating up defensive small forwards because WE HAVE NO SCORING OPTIONS!! James Posey is my favorite player of all time and the fans would just rip and rip on the dude, why? because he was constantly forced to do stuff he should not of have to do to (hell last year we had the dude playing point guard...jesus). Ariza is not an offensive player and neither was Posey. our issue is not at small forward, other teams have proven time and time again that a one dynamic player can work look at sefolosha that dude couldnt score if there was a gun to his moms head (ben wallace etc). Our issue lies in the fact that Ariza HAD to take 11 shots because our shooting guard is a no dynamic player, belinelli is a worse version of peja who arguably plays worse d (because of size) less consistent at the three and hell peja could create his own shot better (probably due to size). If gerald wallace came here yall would be complaining just as much if not more because of what you expect from him. Someone mentioned danny granger now that would be an upgrade, sign me up big time. But gerald wallace is not going to help us at all don't know why people are pretending he's kobe bryant

sorry about the rant....the style ball ariza and posey play is my favorite and its the kind you need on a championship team. Dive for loose balls, give up the body for a charge, steal the inbound just hustle and all effort. Im not impressed by people dropping shots, anyone can score and thats why it kills me that marco belinelli is our starter. go get us oj or brandon roy, or dare i say jr ;)

Ariza isn't the problem. But make a lateral pass is required. That mistake him (and isn't the first of its kind) made me very angry. Ariza is great defensively, but is terrible with the ball in his hands. He bounced, infiltrating or passing freaks me out. We needed to compensate for the Ariza' limitations with a SG effective. And Belinelli is a joke. The problem is all this. Thus, CP3 and D-West are overwhelmed and have to decide every games. I think a player who would be well this team would be DEVIN HARRIS. An SG scorer, which is what we need. I repeat: Belinelli is a joke!
NOTE: Thornton played just 13 minutes. We're back to square one. And this is also to be regretted.

ya joe i was just suggesting some people i felt could be feasibly taken from their respective teams and who can score. my whole point was we need someone who can score if thats thornton by all means. but i feel the lack of a shooting guard is making ariza look bad

I agree that Ariza isn't the problem. He was brought in to be the fifth scoring option, just kind of camp out in the corner and hit open threes, and some transition dunks. He's glue guy, a defensive player. Yes, there are a bunch of small forwards who would be upgrades. But the Hornets would still need frontcourt depth and a better scorer- probably at the two.
One thing though; why bring in a 2nd tier shooting guard (JR?) when Thornton is on the bench. If I were drafting right now, I'd take Thornton over Roy (injured for the rest of his career/bitches about coaching and can't get along with his point guard) and JR (Attitude). I won't be surprised if Belli's "chance" runs out and we see a different line up later in the season.

All I can do is shake my head. These games -- against marginal opponents (sorry, Detroit) -- are the games that we just absolutely have to win if we want to have a shot at the playoffs.
The West is just too competitive to be losing these. A loss to a team like this means we need to make it up by beating a more difficult opponent.

I agree with sportnlife above.
The most irritating, stupid play of the night was Green's losing BJ and allowing that 3!
Now I cannot imagine any other person in the entire audience who didn't know this was coming.
Really stunning.
Really stupid.
It also bothers me, yet confirms many of Monty's player devotions.
Green was one of his formewr teammates and he had a major role in getting him.
He needs to stay loyal to Green despite what is good for the team.

We lost because Willie Green didn't know shoot free throws. And we lost because Trevor Ariza didn't know hit a single side. And how bad that Marco Belinelli! Oh, my God! Monty Williams is crazy to leave him on the court for 30 minutes! The Western Conference will not tolerate such losses. Soon, we'll be in eighth or ninth place because of horrific losses like that.

The injuries to all of the Pistons' least efficient players killed us. What they were left with were all of their best.
Couldn't watch the game, but I'll be West did his usual thing on the last play where he waits for the ball to come to him instead of moving toward it to secure the ball. That has cost us several key turnovers this year. West also had a brick and a travel in OT which hurt us a lot.
Agree with the point on moving screens, but it isn't just Okafor. Smith and Mbenga have just as many per minute, I'd bet. It is a way to rob possessions from the Hornets. It's like holding in football, in that it could be called on almost every possession by any team. No human being can stand perfectly still while setting a screen. Once a player develops a reputation they get tagged with it. It also may be that Paul is moving too early before the screener can get set....

Big shout for Brit Gordon but for me Hornets are missing at least two pieces. DWest is great for me but there needs another option inside, a 7 foot brute, plus a number 3 who can shoot. I do think that Monty needs to work more on offence. It doesn't matter how good your defence a good team will break it down (DET aren't that good team either). You need to come back and score. Marcus is the answer from what I have seen, don't care if he doesn't even get back over half way. Monty please don't coach his skills away from him let him cut free and play his game.

ariza needs to be traded immediately! i would be fine with his offensive output if he actually defended well which is what his "specialty" supposedly is but nope he gives up 28 points to tayshaun prince who is a very solid player but has never been a great scorer. and than to top it off ariza goes ahead and turns over the ball on the last possession. i'm beginning to think that monty is just byron 2.0, the same stubborn attitude, lame substitutions and stagnant offense. plus i'm pretty sure i know now why monty loooooveees willie green so much, according to the pistons announcers monty was a player in philly in 03' green's rookie year and i guess was a mentor of sorts to him. also as to above posters saying wallace wouldn't be that much of an upgrade to ariza, wallace is 5x better. he's a monster rebounder and great shot blocker for a pf. plus has anyone ever witnessed ariza try and finish around the rim with a defender in front of him? its like emeka taught him how to finish around the rim...i.e. i think in emekas mind he thinks that their are puppies littered throughout the paint and he doesn't want to go up strongly and accidentally step on one. enough of this rant as i'm still riding high on the beat down of the jazz :)

I'm bothered by the way the game ended in regulation more than anything. First, I can't see why the coaches would want Willie Green in the game as the person likely to be sent to the foul line by a team needing to foul. If you want him in the game for defensive purposes, then he should never touch the ball in an intentional foul situation. Period. The ball has to be in CP#'s hands. So him being in the game for "defensive" purposes hampered the team's ability to put the game out of reach when the opportunity presented itself.
So when Green gave up the game-tying shot, it was doubly irritating because the whole reason he was in there was so as NOT to give up that shot. It seemed never to occur to him that "Parking Lot" Ben Gordon would take a three with his team behind by three. Green didn't show at all on what was a fairly uncontested shot for Gordon. I'm sure there's a coach whose job it is to remind your defender on the likely 3-point shooter that you don't want to foul the guy, but you want to close out the space and MAKE him go around you for a 2-point shot. Since the three is the worse thing you can surrender there. This should not be news to a veteran, in any case.
Then on the series that followed, Chris Paul dribbles the clock down to take the last shot. The shot that Prince blocked was a pretty low-percentage shot to take, first of all, after deliberately burning clock. And if you're shooting over 90% on your FTs, you just gotta force the issue by taking the ball to the rim. You go through Prince if necessary, but you do what you have to to draw the contact. When Miami came from behind to trip up the Wizards last night, D Wade MADE a big foul him so he could get to the line and make the Game-winning free throws. Maybe Chris has a high degree of confidence in that shot, but the series was too reminiscent of other close-out plays where he dribbles the clock down and winds up taking a desperation shot against the clock. Those guys watch film too.
If these were just random issues, you let it go and chalk it up to experience. But the way that this team failed to close out this game is beginning to be a recurring nightmare

Yeah, West has been pretty clutch before. I'd like it if West would inbound the ball to CP3, and the directly run a pick and roll as our final play. Paul either takes it all the way or dishes it to West for the mid range shot. Have Okafor and Ariza set a screen to free up Paul to get him the ball. IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO INBOUND THE BALL MONTY.

Except I might be worried Emeka gets called for a dumb moving screen. LOL!!
West isn't a bad inbounder. As long as it isn't a long inbound that CP3 has to chase down. LOL.
If Monty doesn't realize Ariza shouldn't be the inbounder I would hope at least his assistants would realize it and let him know. All of them can't possibly be that clueless can they?

Honestly if Emeka can't set a screen, which is even easier than a pick because you don't have to worry about different possibilities, than he shouldn't be in the NBA lol. West is a good inbounder. He's tall and he's got a good bball IQ.
I would've thought Monty would've switched Ariza out with someone after that Dallas game, but nope, still inbounding.

Guys, answer me this. Who would you have inbounding the ball on that possession? And which player would you try to get as the recipient of that inbounds pass? Pretend you're the coach having the chance to do it all over again. Which players would you go with?

No BigBreed, the two guys should be Ariza and Willie Green. David West has come through too many times in the clutch to be included in your rant. Sorry. Perhaps you're not a West fan but this isn't the guy that should be included in your rant.

Queenbee, you don't challege me on my own statement! Seems as though you're the one with a vendetta against Willie Green.
David West has come thru for us in games past, when CP3 has worked a two-man game by posting DWest up on the block in a iso-situation. On that inbound play against the PISTON's, DWest received the ball above the 3pt arc from Trevor Ariza, which is a "No No". {Dwest is more of an spot/rhythm shooter, he's not a take his man off of the dribble shooter} PLUS, he was above the 3pt arc. He surely can't take his man off the dribble and shoot a 3! LOOK, David West is known for having mental lapses in games, rather you believe it or not, its true. Either he'll throw a bad pass or he'll bobble a easy pass out of bounds. David West is also the laziest HORNET on the roster! {You can't be a leader and be lazy as hell....others will follow} When you see the HORNETS players being inconsistent as a team, you look at the leaders on that team. CP3 plays hard but DWest will let a rebound fall right in front of his tennis shoes....and he'll refuse to reach out for that ball. {if the coach lets him loaf, others will test the market}
I'm a season ticket holder and i see what he brings to the HORNETS, good & bad!
....AND HE'S LAZY, PERIOD!
-per charles barkley-
a PF that ave 6 Rebs per/g isn't a PF, he's a SF!

Coach Monty Williams decides to use the (2)two guys on the HORNETS roster thats known to have mental lapses in games, Trevor Ariza & David West, on the inbound play is a "BIG" coaches error!
1.) AGAIN....they both have mental lapses in games!
2.) The most dangerous person on an inbound play supposed to be the player who's inbounding the ball (Trevor can't can't shoot)
3.) David West strength isn't above the 3-point arch, taking his man off the dribble
4.) Did I mention both Trevor Ariza & DWest have mental lapses during games

He did but those bastages they call officials swallowed whistles on a few of the Hornets possessions. Also, I've always been leery of Leon Woods when he officiates our games.
So many things went wrong down the stretch I can't count them all. Ariza should not be the inbounder and whomever inbounds the ball, Paul needs to be the recipient. Send him to the free throw line (CP currently has the best ft% in the entire league) to possibly seal this deal. Bad decisions down the stretch. You have to at least try to inbound the ball to your best free throw shooter.

This is the second time that Ariza has thrown away an inbound pass. He did the same thing in our first loss to the Mavericks (I think). I said to myself, "Don't let Ariza throw the inbounds pass!" and sure enough. . . turnover. This was a truly disgusting and unacceptable loss.

And we need to stop missing free throws down the stretch!!!! Twice the Hornets had a chance to be up 4 but with missed free throws only left a 3 point lead. A 3 point lead only leaves the door open for opposing teams.

@Hornet Re: Ariza versus Wallace; Obviously Wallace is better than Ariza, but it's not like Wallace can put the ball on the floor and create his own offence, and he's not that much better at shooting. With Wallace the Hornets would be better, but would still have the same holes as now with Ariza.

Wallace is a much better shooter than Ariza. He shot 37% from 3 last year and is normally around the 75% mark from the line. His %s are down a bit but that's because DJ Augustin is his PG. If you've got West on the post, Wallace slashing and finishing or drawing fouls(something Ariza CANNOT do) and Belli hitting the 3. Ariza can't finish, doesn't have the instinct or the drive to finish strong. Wallace does, and he also is going to the line more than Trevor.
I've always felt Gerald or Granger were the best fits on this team, not Ariza.

"His %s are down a bit but thatâ€™s because DJ Augustin is his PG."
And we thought Ariza playing with Chris Paul would help his %s. LOL!
I think Wallace is a better offensive player than Trevor but Wallace's concussions worry me.

Everytime CP3 scored, I did the "woo"...oh the countless amount of "wtf" stares I got.
Dwest missed dunk in overtime, cause me to facepalm, leading to me poking myself in the eye (thanks alot DWest)
I can not believe the Hornets lost...........to these losers!! Ariza really upset me during the entire game. Everytime he misses, he acts like a spoil brat, like it's someone else fault his crackhead shots and layups don't even hit the rim. Sucks to go to overtime on a first of a back to back, and lose.